Hey all, just got my GTA back after a tranny swap and I got on it a bit for some fun. But I have a few questions about traction issues, or would that be power issues. 9d1burd can verify this too. I'm posting this in the NW board because I want to get responses specifically from the people closest to me locally.

Should a 350 TPI with only 1.6 rockers and a 3" cat back be able to lay about 15 feet of rubber with brand new tires(BFG G-force KDWS 245/50/16) on a good road and NO brake torqing or stalling? I read posts about how a such and such's 350 can't leave any rubber from a dead start. Well, my problem is far from that. I can leave about 15ft of rubber on any road I wish if I take it from a dead stop, or even a 5mph roll. Just punch it and wala two squiggly lines behind me.

Tim and I are kind of confused as to why my car seems to have such power compared to the stories/posts that we've read on this board.

With 1.6 rockers my cam specs come out to .443/.459 lift. Which shouldn't provide me with much extra power over stock. I basically got the 1.6 roller tip rockers for free, and it falls under the 7 year/70,000 mile warrenty on this long block so I was like what the hell, extra lift won't hurt me.

 

Actually any L98 engine that is running right, with out any real suspension mods or sticky tires..should and will lay a real long stretch with ease..depending on the gear ratio it could really let them rip for a good 30 feet. Crap the L98 in my 85 Monte SS can lay down strips 50 feet long with ease, mind you I don't want that and am working on it as we speak!

 

very interesting.....

well if it can lay that much rubber then more power to you

But does the chassis unload the front suspension and load the rear suspension when you punch it? If it stays relatively level then there wouldn't be much in the way of weight transfer so it would be easier to spin them.

In further thoughts, you could always get some traction aids in the form of some suspension pieces, otherwise be happy you can make squiggly lines all over the place. Furthermore, my friend John sold Denny(LFN AT U) a 88 IROC 350TPI and that was probably the fastest stock 350 TPI I have ever driven or seen....it had a lot of *****. It layed rubber down really well too....so maybe you just got lucky

 

I figured it was just because the engine is a reman, and therefore in great running condition. Its just that with all these posts about how their L98 can't spin the wheels going around I thought it was better too ask and be sure.

I don't plan on much engine mods until I have the suspension fully worked. SFC, LCA, STB, Pan hard, etc...you name it, I want to do it. I'm much more into Autocross than drag, but I still get a rush from flooring it at a light. I just wish it'd hook then I'd get to really feel some acceloration.

Hell, I don't even know what brand my 3" cat back is. It came with the car and I can't find any markings on the muffler.

 

if you're not posting pics then we don't care....


:lala: :lala: :lala:


let's see some proof I wanna see patches of rubber.....come on support your local tire shop and burn off those tires.

 

How is this for a 305 TPI with the mods below? No brake torque either

 

I tend to not stick around when I lay down some rubber. The Cops in Elk Grove, and the people living in it are fairly unsupportive of such acts. Example below.

One day about 11:00am I was pulling out of my drive in a 93' Escort and just for fun I floored it. Which resulted in the engine screaming like a mouse on fire with lungs full of helium. After I came back an hour later I sat down and watched the tube for a bit while doing homework. Low and behold the doorbell rings and there's an officer on the other side of the door. Says, "We heard reports of a late model blue escort drag racing down the street."

He let me off with a warning because i didn't exceed the limit and I shut it down quickly. But the people in Elk Grove are THAT ****. Cops have pulled me over twice in my GTA for just being 'noisy', I.E. idling down the street about 1,100rpm. There is a road I can do this stuff on so I'll try and get some pics later, just don't have time today.

 

15 ft???

What the hell?? Did you let off or what? If my car (bone stock 305 TBI with mods in sig) would only spin for that long I'd be very happy.

 

I seem to be getting some decent traction after about 30 feet. I forgot to take pictures today because I forgot the camera....

I am having some serious TV Cable troubles car does not want to shift nice unless I do it manually. And even then the 2-3 and 3-4 shift is crap.

 

You are putting too much emphasis on tire spin. Its the 60' & 1/4 time that really matters. How can you guage how much power you have by this scale being that you have no idea what the other guys tires look like or how good his suspension is, not to mention other wear and tear over the years on other drivetrain parts. Burnouts were cool in high school but if you want to run with the big boys you gotta have traction. Find an open road and G-Tech it to get a better idea what you have. BTW - If you want to fix that shift, reset the TV the proper way and get a corvette or billet servo to firm up the shifts and increase the holding power.

 

If you read one of my earlier posts you'd see that I DO want to get rid of tire spin. But a stock 350tpi in good tune with stock size tires SHOULD be able to break them loose. Nuff said there.

I do eventually want to redo the entire suspension, as well as adding a STB, and SFC's.

I only asked because i'd heard that other L98's weren't able to break the tires loose, and i thought mine was either a factory freak or the suspension was so worn out that I was losing major traction.

Funky, I layed down some tread today and I know I was spinning cause the car got sideways, but there aren't any tread marks. Guess my home street was just too nasty to even lay rubber down.